Identification
Wing venation - the system and/or pattern of
veins of the insect wing. The pattern of wing venation is important in classification of insects at almost all taxonomic levels.
Wing venation has its own complex terminology--thus is put in a glossary entry separate from
wing. The exact terminology varies somewhat from group-to-group, but modern terminology is based on the Comstock-Needham System
(1). See captions to diagrams above for details.
The principal veins run more-or-less lengthwise on the wing--thus called longitudinal veins. Connecting them are a lesser number of cross-veins. A closed area bounded by veins is called a cell.
A few groups, in particular
syrphid flies, have a "spurious" wing vein--see
this diagram.
Internet References
Brisbane Insects--
Insect Wings
North Carolina State University Entomology 424--
Insect WingsContributed by
Cotinis on 17 September, 2008 - 8:37am
Last updated 23 February, 2009 - 2:09pm
